Remote control device



Feb. 5, 1935. E. F. NICKL 1,989,767

REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE Filed June 22, 1932 RADIO RECEIVER REMOTE CONTROL INVENTOR EDWIN E NICKL ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 5, 1935 1,989,767

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE Edwin F. Nick], Cedar Grove, N. J assignor to International Communications Laboratories, Inc., Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 22, 1932, Serial No. 618,715

11 Claims. (01. 250-40) This invention relates to remote control devices, driving arms which are eifective to permit the and more particularly to devices for controlling tuning of the set alternatively from the remote the tuning of a radio receiver, or other apparatus point or locally. similarly operated, at a point remote therefrom. In the drawing,

6 The remote point may be only a few feet re- Fig. I is aperspective lay-out of aportion of the moved from the set or may be a considerable apparatus at the receiver which permits the aldistance therefrom. ternative control, and shows a driven element 16 In co-pending application, Serial No. 400,575, which is keyed to the condenser shaft and which filed October 18, 1929, by William J.'Gillule, a may be operated from the remote point and remote control for a radio receiver is shown in locally; 10 which a pulley is keyed to the shaft on which a Fig. 2 is a diagram of the tuning condensers plurality of ganged condensers are mounted to of the radio receiver; control the tuning of the set. The pulley is ro- Fig. 3 is a front view of the driven element of tated by a wire or other tractile element enclosed Fig. 1, showing details of the toggle switch which in a flexible sheath. The tractile element is are omitted from Fig. 1; 15 wound around a drum at the remote point, which Fig. 4 is a rear view of the driven element of drum is turned by suitable mechanism, in this Fig. 1, showing the details of that portion of the specific case, a worm drive. A spiral spring at toggle switch mounted on this side of the driven the radio set resists the motion of the tractile element; and

element when it is operated to wind on the drum Fig. 5 is a schematic of the remote control unit. 20 at the remote point. The spring, of course, as- A radio receiver, which is illustrated diagramsists the operation of tuning the set in the reverse matically by the filaments 1 of a plurality of vacudirection, that is, the direction for which the um tubes which are heated by battery 2 in circuit wire unwinds from the drum at the remote point with the contacts 3 of a switch 4, has a plurality 2s and winds on the pulley at the set. Means are of g d in nden s, illustrat d by th also provided in the Gillule device for turning condenser 5, the rotors of which are mounted on the set on and off at the remote point and for a shaft 6. Loosely mounted on the shaft 6 is a controlling the volume of the received signal from pulley 7 having within it a spiral spring (not the remote point. Also, a dial light is provided shown) tending to rotate it in a counter clockto illuminate the dial at the remote point when wise direction. The spiral spring is illustrated 30 the set is operated. diagrammatically by the spring 8. Wound around When a radio set is provided with means for the periphery of the pulley 7 and secured thereto controlling its operation from a remote point, by Suitable p n ea s 9 is a W re 01 Othe it is desirable that it shall also be possible to contractile element 10 which is enclosed in a sheath trol the set locally, that is, by means of the dial 11 attached to a drum 12 at a poi t remote from 35 and switches at the set itself. With apparatus the radio receiver. At the remote point there is such as that disclosed in the Gillule application, a dial 13 and a pointer 14 for indicating dial no provision is made for this dual control, as the readings. A knob 15 turns the drum and pointer. knob which turns the condensers locally will not Means for controlling the volume of received sig- 0 operate against the friction of the wire in the nals and a dial light, may also be provided at the sheath and the leverage of the gears at the remote emo P in as in e G ule device above repoint, and the knob which turns the drum at the red to. remote point will not operate against the friction Keyed t0 the Condenser S t 6 s a driven eleof the local tuning knob and gearing. ment 16. When this element is rotated the shaft An object of this invention is to provide means 6 and the rotors Of COI'ldGIlSGI'S 5 will, of course, 45 for alternatively controlling a radio receiver, or be similarly rotated to tune the Loosely other similarly operated device, from th mounted on a continuation 17 of the shaft 6, of ceiver itself or from a remote point. Smaller diameter, is a v g arm 18, driven by A feature of the invention is the provision of a b 19 Which also turns a pointer The means for discontinuing the operative connection panel of the radio receiver will Ordinarily e 5 of the remote control means with the tuning conmounted between the drivin arm 13 end the knob densers when it is desired to tune the set locally, and pointer 19 and 20, and the panel will be proand vice versa. vided with a suitable dial so that the pointer will Another feature of the invention is the proviindicate condenser settings on this dial. A frame 5 sion of a toggle switch to operate difierential 21 is fixedly secured to the chassis of the radio 5 receiver by means of a pin 22 and provides a guide for the tractile element 10. A driving arm 23 is secured to the pulley 7.

We thus have a pulley 7 and driving arm 23, operable from a remote point, on the one hand, and a knob 19 and driving arm 18, operable locally, on the other hand, both of which are independently rotatable; and a driven element 16 which is keyed to the condenser shaft for tuning the radio receiver. The driving arm 23 will be hereinafter referred to as the remote driving arm because it is controlled from the remote point, although, as may be seen from the drawing, it is located at the set; The driving arm 18 will be hereinafter referred to as the local driving arm because it is controlled from the set itself.

The driving arms 23 and 18 are provided with notches 24 and 25, respectively. The notch 24 is adapted to be engaged by a sliding arm 26, while the notch 25 is adapted to be engaged by a sliding arm 27. The driving arms 23 and 18 and the sliding arms 26 and 2'1 are so arranged that the sliding arms may engage the respective notches, but the driving arms may pass one another, that is, neither driving arm will interfere with the complete rotation of the other driving arm. Mounted on the pulley '7 is a pin 28 which is adapted to engage a cam 29 of the toggle switch mounted on the driven element 16. Mounted on the local driving arm 18 is a pin 30 adapted to engage a cam 31 of this toggle switch.

It will be noted from Figs. 3 and 4 that the cams 29 and 31 are mounted on opposite sides of the driven element 16 and are keyed together. Loosely mounted on the shaft connecting cams 29 and 31 is a plate 32 having slotted shoulder 33. The plate 32 is limited in its movement by pins 34 and 35 on the driven element 16. An arm 36 having a shoulder 3'7 is mounted between the shoulder 33 and a groove on the cam 31. Between the shoulders 33 and 37 is a spring 38 which holds the arm 36 in position andexerts a pressure against the cam 31. In the position of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, it will be noted that the arm 32 is resting againstpin 35 and the arm 36 is exerting an upward thrust against cam 31. Cam 31 is provided with a bifurcated extension 39 which engages a pin 40 on driving arm 27. Cam 29 is provided with a bifurcated extension 41 which engages a pin 42 on arm 26. Arm 2'7 is held in position by extension 39 and by a plate 43 attached to driven element 16. Arm 26 is held in position by extension 41 and by a second plate-44 attached to the other side of driven element 16.

For the purposes of this description it will be assumed that the local and remote dials are marked in a scale from zero to 100, corresponding to 180 rotation of the rotors of condensers 5. In

the position of the apparatus shown in the draw ing, it will be noted that remote driving arm 23 is engaging sliding arm 26 of the driven element 16. By turning the knob 15 at the remoteend the pulley 7 may be turned to control the tuning of the set over its entirerange. Assume that in the position shown, the set is tuned to a dial reading of 20 by meansof the remote control, and that the local driving arm 18 is at zero. circumstances it is now desired to assume control fthe tuning of the set at the set itself. The local knob 19 is turned in a clockwisedirection. As-the localdriving arm 18 reaches-that portion of the driven element 16 on which the toggle switch is mounted, pin 30 will engage cam 31 and exert a pressure against it. As the earns 31 and 29 are keyed together, the cam 29 will exert a corres Under these spending pressure against pin 28. It is impossible to exert a sufficient pressure against pin 28in this manner, by turning knob 19, to overcome the friction of the wire in the sheath and the leverage of the knob and gears connecting it to the drum 12. Therefore, there will be no motion of the pulley 7 due to this pressure. It will be noted that the sliding arms 26 and 2'7 are rounded at their tops. Also, that one edge of each of the notches 24 and 251s beveled. As the pressure is exerted against cam 31 by pin 30, the cam 31 will tend to rotate to raise arm 27 and the cam 29 will tend to rotate to lower arm 26. As the knob 19 is turned, the rounded portion of sliding arm 26 and the beveled surface of notch 24 will permit a slight angular movement of driven element 16, provided arm 26 is lowered. Therefore, the cams 31-and 29 will be permitted to rotate by the pressure of the pin 38 throughthe rotation of driven element 16. As the earns 31 and 29 rotate, due to the continued turning of knob 19, arm 26 will slide downward while arm 27 will slide upward, Ann 26 will, therefore, disengage notch 24 and when notch 26 comes to the proper position arm 27 will be raised to engage it. When arm 26 reaches the limit of its downward movement arm 27 will, of course, be prevented'from rising further and cams 29 and 31 will be prevented from turning further. At this point, arm 27 engages notch 25 and pin 30 will still engage cam 31, so that further rotation of the knob 19 will cause the driven element 16 to turn and tunethe radio set correspondingly. The knob 19 may then continue to be turned to tune the set to any point between and100. 7

When tuning from 100 downward there will, of course, be a pressure of the pin 30 against cam 31 tending to rotate it in a direction to lower arm 27. However, ascam 31 was rotated when the local driving arm was taking control, arm 36 passed from its position shown in Fig. 3 where it exerts an upward thrust, to a position inwhich it exerts a downward thrust against cam 31, that" is, to a position in which it tends to holdarm 27 in the raised position. The pressure against cam 31, as the set is tuned downward, by means of knob 19, will not be sufiicient toovercome the thrust of arm 36, due to spring 38. The arm 27 will, therefore, remain raised and the tuning downward may be accomplished by its engagement with notch 25.

When the arm 36 passes from its upward thrust position, shown in Fig. 3, to its downward thrust position described in the preceding paragraph, arm 32 will move upward against pin 34, and when the position of arm 36 shown in Fig. 3 is resumed, arm 32 will also resume its position shown in that figure. This movement of arm 32 causes spring 38 to exert its force more off center of the cam 31, so that it offers more resistance against turning.

If the set is tuned backthrough 20 bymeans ofv the localdial, that is, through the point to which it had last been tunedby'means of the remote control, the reverse of. the operation described in the preceding paragraph will take place. That is, driven element 16will come to the point where cam 29 bears against pin 28. It has previously been mentioned thatpulley 7 cannot be moved by this pressure. Further rotation of the driven element 16 will then be prevented unlessit is possible for the cam 29 to rotate. This rotation is possible now because of the rounded top on sliding arm 27, and the bevel on notch 25 which, permits the driven element 16 to continue its movement as .arm 27'imoves downward. As arm 27 disen gagesnotch'25 drivenelement 16 will continue to turn because of the engagement of pin 30 with cam 31. Arm 26 will rise and engage notch 24 and pin 30 will slip out of cam 31. The local driving arm 18 may continue to be turned between 20 and zero but the driven element 16 will remain at the point where it was engaged by the remote driving arm.

Now, assume that the local driving arm 18 is turned to 30. As it passes through 20 it will engage the driven element 16 in the manner described above, and the remote driving arm 23 will remain at the dial setting of 20. With the set tuned to 30 by the knob 19, it is desired to assume control of the tuning of the set from the remote point. Knob in the remote point is turned upward to 30. Pulley '7 moves accordingly and pin 28 will engage cam 29. When the local driving arm is in control, of course, the arm 2''! will be raised and the arm 26 lowered. As the pin 28 engages cam 29 it will exert a pressure thereon tending to raise arm 26, and also tending to move driven element 16. However, on the other side of the driven element 16 pin 30 will be in engagement with cam 31 and the cam cannot turn against this pressure unless the driving arm 18, to which pin 30 is secured, will yield to it, or unless driven element 16 will yield to it. The driving arm 18 will not yield because of the friction of the condenser shaft, etc. and the leverage of the tuning knob 19 and gears. However, due to the rounded end of driving arm 27 and the bevel of notch 25, the driven element 16 may move slightly as the arm 27 moves downward. This will permit the cam 29 to turn and raise arm 26 which will rise to engage notch 24 when the remote driving arm reaches the proper position. Arm 36 will, of course, move over and now exert an upward thrust again as the cams rotate.

If the set is tuned back through 30 by means of the remote control, cam 31 will engage pin 30 and cams 31 and 29 will rotate. As arm 26 disengages notch 24 driven element 16 will continue to turn because of the engagement of pin 28 with cam 29. Arm 2'! will rise and engage notch 25, and pin 28 will slip out of cam 29. The driven element 16 will be then engaged by the driving arm 18. The pulley 7 may be turned on back to zero, but the driven element 16 will remain at 30, and the set will consequently be tuned to 30.

If both the local and remote driving arms are set at zero, it will be possible for either to take control in the manner described above and tune the set through its entire range, returning it again to zero. At whatever position the set may be tuned by one control, the other control may be used to pick up the condensers at that point and tune between that point and 100.

The driven element 16 has an extension 45 to which is secured a pin 46 adapted to engage the prongs i? and i8 of the switch 4. When the tuning of the set is returned to zero, whichever driving element is used to accomplish such tuning, pin 46 will engage prong 4'7 of the switch 4 to open the contacts 3 and shut off the radio receiver. Whenever it is desired to operate the set thereafter, it need simply be tuned to the desired station by means of either control. As the driven element 16 passes beyond zero, pin 46 will engage prong 48 of the switch 4 and close contacts 3 to turn the set on.

What is claimed is:

1. A device to be controlled, a driven element attached to said device, two driving elements, one

remotely controlled and the other locally controlled and each connectable with said driven element for establishing driving engagement therewith, means pivotally mounted on said driven element and operable to connect either driving element into driving engagement with said driven element and to prevent simultaneous coupling of the other driving element therewith, and an actuator carried by each driving element and moved thereby into engagement with said means thereby to operate said means.

2. A device to be controlled, a driven element for operating said device, a remotely controlled, manually operated, driving element for said driven element, a locally controlled driving element for said driven element, means operable for releasing the engagement of whichever driving element last had control of said driven element and for causing the engagement of the other driving element therewith at any position or" said driven element, and means carried by each driving element for engaging and operating said first-mentioned means.

3. A radio receiver, means for tuning said receiver, remotely controlled means for manually operating said tuning means, locally controlled means for operating said tuning means, a toggle switch operable for controlling the alternative engagement of said operating means with said tuning means, and an actuator for each operating means and movable thereby for engaging and operating said toggle switch.

4. A radio receiver, means for tuning said receiver, a driven element for operating said tuning means, remotely controlled means for manually operating said driven element, locally controlled means for operating said driven element, a toggle switch, a pair of diiferential arms controlled by said toggle switch, one of said arms being adapted to engage said remotely controlled driving element, and the other of said arms being adapted to engage said locally controlled driving element.

5. A radio receiver, means for tuning said receiver, a driven element for operating said tuning means, a remotely controlled driving element for operating the driven element, a locally controlled driving element for operating said driven element, a pair of arms carried by said driven element and adapted to engage the respective driving elements, a toggle switch, means controlled by each driving element for operating said toggle switch to cause one arm to disengage its driving element and the other arm to engage its driving element.

6. A radio receiver, means including a rotatable shaft for tuning said radio receiver, an arm mounted on said shaft and extending radially therefrom, two links mounted on said arm for movement thereon and differentially connected so that when one is moved toward said shaft the other is moved in the opposite direction, a remotely controlled driving element connectable to said shaft through one of said links, a locally controlled driving element connectable to said shaft through the other of said links, and a toggle switch mounted on said arm and operated by either driving element and connected to said links so that upon operation said toggle switch causes one link to engage its driving element and the other to disengage its driving element.

'7. A radio receiver, means including a rotatable shaft for tuning said receiver, a driven element fixed to said shaft, rotatable driving elements one locally controlled and the other remotely controlled mounted concentrically with said shaft and having rotary movement independent there-- of, two mounted on said driven member and movable with respect thereto and engageable With the respective rotatable driving elements for effecting a driving connection therefrom to said driven element, and means operated by either. of said driving elements to cause one of said links to move into engagement with its driving element and the other or said links to move out of engagement with its driving element.

8. A remote control device comprising a first driving element controlled from a remote point, asecond driving element controlled locally, an element to be driven, a differential cam, means for causing said first driving element to operate said difierential cam, and means rendered effective by operation of said cam for connecting said first driving element to said driven element and for preventing said second driving element from controlling said driven element.

9. A remote control device comprising a first driving element controlled from a remote point,

. a second driving element controlled locally, an

element to be driven, a differential cam, means for causing said second driving element to operate said differential cam, and means rendered efifective by operation of said cam for connecting said second driving element to said driven elemeans, and coupling means rendered effective by operation of said second-mentioned means for connecting said first drivingelement-to saiddriven element and controlling said driven element through its entire range of operation and for V preventing said second driving element from controlling said driven element.

11. A remote control devicecomprising a first driving element controlled from a remote point, a second driving element controlled locally, an element to be driven, means controlling the engagement of said driving elements with said driven element; means controlled by said second driving element for operating said first-mentioned.

means and coupling means rendered effective by operation of said second-mentioned means for connecting said second driving element to said drivenelernent and for preventing said first drivin element from controlling said driven element.

EDWIN F. NICKLQ 

